Francisco R. Hung
	Assistant Professor Cain Professor B.S., Universidad Simón Bolívar, Venezuela, 1996 M.S., Universidad Simón Bolívar, Venezuela, 1999 Ph.D., North Carolina State University, U.S.A., 2005 Postdoctoral, University of Wisconsin-Madison, U.S.A., 2005-2007 Office: 214 Telephone: 225.578.3546  E-mail: frhung@lsu.edu

Research Interests

Our research aims at predicting, understanding and engineering the unique physical properties of systems of nanoporous materials and confined fluids, and particles dispersed in liquid crystals. These systems have applications related to nanoelectronics, high-density data storage, sensors, adsorption and separations, semiconductors, energy storage and catalysis. In order to pursue our goals, we use theory and computer simulations, in close partnership with experiments. Current areas of interest are the following:

• Particles in liquid crystalline solvents: these systems exhibit a number of self-assembled structures that can have potential applications in electro-optical switches, photonics, nanoscale electronics, functional coatings, display devices, nanostructured materials and optical sensors. We seek to explore and understand the physics of systems of nanoparticles in liquid crystals, in order to optimize existing applications as well as suggesting new uses for these systems.
  
  
• Nanoporous materials and confined fluids: our interests focus on the use of a wide spectrum of porous materials in applications related to adsorption, separations, semiconductors, catalysis, and magnetic/energy storage. By studying the behavior of molecules confined inside these narrow pores, we aim at understanding the unique physical properties of these systems, in order to suggest optimizations and test new potential uses.

Selected Peer-Reviewed Publications

F. R. Hung and S. Bale, "Faceted nanoparticles in a nematic liquid crystal: Defect structures and potentials of mean force", Mol. Simulat. (in press, 2009) [DOI]

F. R. Hung, "Quadrupolar particles in a nematic liquid crystal: Effects of particle size and shape", Phys. Rev. E 79, 021705 (2009). [DOI]

F. R. Hung, B. T. Gettelfinger, G. M. Koenig Jr., N. L. Abbott and J. J. de Pablo, "Nanoparticles in nematic liquid crystals: interactions with nanochannels", J. Chem. Phys. 127, 124702 (2007). [DOI]

F. R. Hung, O. Guzmán, B. T. Gettelfinger, N. L. Abbott and J. J. de Pablo, "Anisotropic nanoparticles immersed in a nematic liquid crystal: defect structures and potentials of mean force", Phys. Rev. E. 74, 011711 (2006). [DOI]

Nanoporous materials and confined fluids

S. Bhattacharya, B. Coasne, F. R. Hung and K. E. Gubbins, "Molecular modeling of templated mesoporous materials, SBA-15: From mesoscopic to molecular models to gas adsorption", Langmuir (Article ASAP, 2008). [DOI]

F. R. Hung, S. Bhattacharya, B. Coasne, M. Thommes and K. E. Gubbins, "Argon and krypton adsorption on templated mesoporous silicas: molecular simulation and experiment", Adsorption 13, 425 (2007). [DOI]

F. R. Hung, B. Coasne, K. E. Gubbins, F. R. Siperstein, M. Thommes and M. Sliwinska-Bartkowiak, "A Monte Carlo study of capillary condensation of krypton within realistic models of templated mesoporous silica materials", Stud. Surf. Sci. Catal. 160, 153 (2006)

B. Coasne, F. R. Hung, R. J.–M. Pellenq, F. R. Siperstein, and K. E. Gubbins, "Adsorption of simple gases in MCM-41 materials: the role of surface roughness", Langmuir 22, 194 (2006). [DOI]

F. R. Hung, B. Coasne, E. E. Santiso, K. E. Gubbins, F. R. Siperstein and M. Sliwinska-Bartkowiak, "Molecular modeling of freezing of simple fluids confined within carbon nanotubes", J. Chem. Phys. 122, 144706 (2005). [DOI]

B. Coasne, K. E. Gubbins, F. R. Hung and M. Sliwinska-Bartkowiak, "Freezing and melting of binary mixtures confined in a nanopore", Mol. Phys. 102, 2149 (2004). [DOI]

F. R. Hung, G. Dudziak, M. Sliwinska-Bartkowiak and K. E. Gubbins, "Freezing/melting behaviour within carbon nanotubes", Mol. Phys. 102, 223 (2004). [DOI]

E. A. Müller, F. R. Hung and K. E. Gubbins, "Adsorption of water vapor-methane mixtures on activated carbons", Langmuir 16, 5418 (2000). [DOI]

Education-related

F. R. Hung, K. E. Gubbins and S. Franzen, "A graduate course on multi-scale modeling of soft matter", Chem. Eng. Education 38, 242 (2004)

This page was last modified on March 03, 2009